Patents Examined by Rodney M. Lindsey
  • Patent number: 6920645
    Abstract: An ear warmer comprises a set of membranes and a frame. The set of membranes collectively defines an outer perimeter. The set of membranes is attached along the outer perimeter to define an attachment portion. The attachment portion is entirely disposed within an interior of the set of membranes. The frame is disposed within the interior of the set of membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: 180s, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Edward LeGette, Justin Saul Werner, Ronald L. Wilson, II
  • Patent number: 6920646
    Abstract: A chemical/biological hazard protection suit has two pants legs which extend to a midsection below waist level. An opening in the midsection defines an outlet from the suit interior. A waste collector has an upper segment which is fixed to the midsection and which adjoins an intermediate segment which is in turn connected to a waste receptacle. A first seal is between the upper segment and the intermediate segment, and a second seal is between the intermediate segment and the waste receptacle. A region of weakened material encircles the intermediate segment between the seals. A wearer discharges waste through the outlet and past the two open seals into the receptacle, whereupon both seals are closed, and the receptacle is detached from the upper segment, leaving both the receptacle and the suit sealed. Prior to use, the waste receptacle may be retained within a pocket on one of the pants legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: LineWeight LLC
    Inventors: Caleb Clark Crye, Gregg M. Thompson, Eric Owen Fehlberg
  • Patent number: 6918139
    Abstract: An article of headwear is disclosed that is formed of a plurality of panels. At least one of the panels has an edge that includes an indentation that is stretched when securing the panels together. The stretching of the indentation prestretches a headband portion of the headwear, and enhances the comfort and fit of the headwear. An elastic element may also be secured to the panels and positioned within the headband to further enhance the comfort and fit of the headwear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Nike, Inc.
    Inventor: Alex Washington Okot
  • Patent number: 6918141
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a protective headgear system which includes a relatively light weight, substantially rigid, headgear structure which may include an internal, adjustable headband. A fan mechanism is mounted on the headgear structure. A power supply selectively powers the fan. The system includes filter means which is attachable to the headgear structure to cover the structure. A facial shield is attachable to the headgear structure to cover the face of the wearer to maintain non-contaminating conditions relative to the wearer. A shield protector is attachable to the facial shield. A flexible cuff is attachable to the facial shield to enclose the lower opening of the lens and provide protection for the wearer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Pabbon Development, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Green, Obed Rios, Celestino Murillo
  • Patent number: 6915931
    Abstract: A garment set hanger is disclosed which is suitable for hanging and displaying a set of matched or coordinated garments together, such as a matched set of children's garments. The garment set hanger includes a top hanger which is designed to support a top garment such as a dress or a shirt of the matched set of garments. A flexible bottom hanger of the garment set hanger is designed to support and display a matching bottom garment of the matched set of garments, such as underwear designed to be worn as a matched set with the dress, or matching pants designed to be worn as a matched set with a top sports or T shirt. The flexible bottom hanger is designed to be flexed inwardly to allow the bottom garment to be easily placed on and mounted onto the flexed bottom hanger, such as by an elastic waist band, and then the flexed bottom hanger is allowed to expand outwardly to conform to different size bottom garments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Spotless Plastics Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Stanley F. Gouldson, Olaf F. Olk
  • Patent number: 6912735
    Abstract: An inflatable head-protection member comprises first and second ear-protective elements connected together by a web element, at least one of the ear-protective elements having extending therefrom substantially orthogonally to the web element a strap element having adjustable connection means to the other ear-protective element or to a corresponding strap element extending therefrom, the elements being air-inflatable and in mutual communication and having an inflation tube for insertion in the user's mouth and an inflation/deflation control means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Geck Head Gear Limited
    Inventor: Jeffrey Arthur Sacree
  • Patent number: 6912736
    Abstract: A fit element for a helmet for minimizing helmet movement on the head of a wearer is described. An embodiment of the fit element includes a base portion and an integrated stretchable material. The base portion includes at least one attachment leg, a right side arm and a left side arm, wherein the attachment leg is substantially perpendicular to the right and left arms. The base portion may also include attachment points for connecting to an interior rear area of a helmet, and advantageously has at least one cut-out section along its length to permit flexing. In an implementation, at least a portion of a lower edge of the middle section of the base portion has a curved shape for facilitating entry or the wearer's head into a helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Vans, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Andrew Moeller, Andrew Allen Bjornson
  • Patent number: 6913607
    Abstract: A self-closing fastener is described that comprises a clip passable through a tissue opening. The fastener is adapted for holding by a mechanism in an open configuration for passing through the tissue, followed by releasing the fastener from the holding mechanism, allowing the clip to remain in the tissue in a shape that can clip two or more locations on the tissue. The fastener and delivery devices are particularly useful for tissue approximation, such as anastomosis. When used for anastomosis, the inventive clips provide intima-to-intima contact with a minimal amount of intraluminal exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Ainsworth, Jianhua Yang
  • Patent number: 6912727
    Abstract: A head harness for supporting a night vision device is provided. The head harness includes a frame assembly and padding coupled to the frame assembly. The padding is configured to contact at least one of a forehead and a cheek of the face of a user of the head harness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Harrison L. Buchanan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6910228
    Abstract: A stabilizer constituting member or ventilation opening forming member 51 having a stabilizer portion or ventilation opening forming portion 61, which has an air current deflection surface 63 gradually separating from an outer surface of a head protecting body in the range of the front end to the rear end of the stabilizer portion or ventilation opening forming portion 61, is disposed on an outer side of the head protecting body. According to one aspect, exhaust openings 55a to 55c are formed in a step surface 64 extending from near the rear end of the air current deflection surface 63 substantially toward the outer surface of the head protecting body. According to another aspect, the ventilation opening forming member 51 further has air current divider portions 62a and 62b having exhaust openings 54a and 54b surrounded by substantially two-way forked projecting ridges 66, respectively. Thus, air in the head protecting body can be effectively discharged from the exhaust openings 55a to 55c and/or 54a and 54b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Shoei, Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Haruo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6904616
    Abstract: Protective helmet comprising a two piece shell, an electric motor and impeller useful for creating a positive environment in the head space, and a filter for removing particulates and other substances. The impeller introduces atmospheric air into an air channel defined by two detachably attached shell pieces. The air is pushed through a particulate filter in the air channel and then through at least one aperture into the head space. A heating element may be used to heat the air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Polaris Industries Inc.
    Inventors: Richard R. Maki, Joshua J. Leonard, Robert E. Mekash
  • Patent number: 6904618
    Abstract: A helmet for protecting the head of a wearer during sporting activities, comprising a protective shell, vents formed in the protective shell, and a shutter plate positioned within the protective shell. The shutter plate has apertures conforming in dimension and position to the vent openings so that that the apertures are in substantial alignment with the vents when the shutter plate is in a first position. The shutter plate is selectively moveable so that the vents are opened or closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: Bell Sports, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Musal
  • Patent number: 6892400
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a helmet having an opening type chin protection bar, which includes a helmet body having a face protection opening in a front side, a chin protection bar designed to protect a user's chin by blocking a part of the opening of the helmet body, a shield for shielding the remaining portions of the opening on an upper side of the chin protection bar, a hinge mechanism engaged to be rotatable in the upper and lower directions by engaging the chin protection bar to the left and right sides of the helmet body, and a locking mechanism designed to rotate the chin protection bar in the upper and lower directions with respect to the hinge bolt of the hinge mechanism as a shaft wherein the chin protection bar is locked in a lowered state, and is unlocked for its lifting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: HJC Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwang-Moon Choi, Kwang-Ho Pyo, Bom-Shik Cho
  • Patent number: 6892393
    Abstract: An eye shield attachment can be used in combination with a safety helmet. The helmet has a front brim continuous with a rim extending along each opposite side of the safety helmet adjacent to a pair of rim slots in the rim of the safety helmet. The eye shield attachment has a lens and a right and a left structure. Each of the right and left structures has (a) a side frame adapted to be suspended below the rim and to extend toward the front brim, and (b) at least one tong adapted to be removably and dependently attached from below to a corresponding one of the rim slots in the helmet for supporting the side frame. The lens is attached distally between the right and the left structures and can pivot under the front brim between a lowered and a raised position and still remain subjacent to the front brim. The right and left structures are adjustable to provide an adjustable orientation of the lens while in the lowered position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Inventors: Jack Provost, Dennis Jenkins
  • Patent number: 6889391
    Abstract: An elastic visor for detachable mounting on headwear is of sheet neoprene having a reinforcing layer of nylon, with a crown aperture that is stretched around, and grips the surface of a headwear to which it is mounted. The neoprene, of about five millimeter thickness, serves to grip the surface of the headwear. The flexible material of the visor permits the peak to deflect under the application of undue force. Ear-protective side flaps and an extended protective neck-flap portion can be incorporated. Decorative crown cut-outs are silhouetted against the helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Inventor: Chad Thomas Hitchins
  • Patent number: 6889390
    Abstract: A retaining system for the hood, face seal, and mounting band(s) of facemasks that have a hood and/or a face seal that are sealed and securely mounted to the mask using a band type of clamping method, is provided. The retaining system may include a redundant system that may not allow the mask to be separated from the hood, face seal, and the mounting band(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Kirby Morgan Dive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William B. Morgan, Connie L. Morgan, Trent M. Schultz
  • Patent number: 6886186
    Abstract: The present invention provides a safety device for use with a sports helmet as a means of reducing neck and spinal cord injuries that are common to contact sports. The preferred embodiment of the inventive device is intended for use with a sports safety helmet. The device comprises an elastic cord having a fastening member at a first end that engages a complementary fastening member disposed on the safety helmet. A second end of the elastic cord attaches to an adjustable strap that attaches to a belt disposed on the body of a user. In operation, the device provides resistance to the user's ability to hold his head in a lowered position. It is appreciated that holding the head in an upright position reduces the risk of accidental neck and/or spinal cord injury due to collisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Inventor: Cheryl Jansen
  • Patent number: 6883185
    Abstract: A survival suit including two inner bladders filled with air exhaled from the user to provide warmth and floatation. The first inner bladder is located against the user's back that covers the entire dorsal region. Located behind the first inner bladder is a second inner bladder that acts as an insulation layer when submerged under water. Both the first and second inner bladders are filled with fibrous filler material to provide insulation and allow exhaled air to flow freely therein. An air conduit extends from the user's mouth to the second inner bladder. Formed between the first and second inner bladders is an air passageway that delivers air from the second inner bladder into the first inner bladder. Air outlet ports located on the first inner bladder allows exhaled air to escape into the body cavity and that completely surround the user. The exhaled air in the body cavity eventually escapes through the face opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Inventor: Robert R. Duncan
  • Patent number: 6883182
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device to rotate a previously unrotatable receiver used with helmets, preferably aircraft helmets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: AVOX Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond M. Necci, Valentin A. Castro
  • Patent number: 6883183
    Abstract: A protective sport helmet, such as for lacrosse includes a hard shell portion. The hard shell portion is constructed so as to provide protection to a wearer's head. The inner side of the hard shell portion includes a lining portion that is secured thereto. A chin strap portion is includes for attachment to the hard shell portion at a plurality of attachment points. The hard shell port ion includes a ledge portion that extends generally forwardly therefrom. A visor portion is secured to the hard shell portion and overlies the ledge portion. A facemask portion is secured to both the hard shell portion and the ledge portion in order to improve the structural integrity of the helmet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Stryke Lacrosse, Inc.
    Inventors: David Morrow, David Falge, Kevin Morrow